Daniel Willis

1 week ago | edsource.org | Karen D'Souza |Yuxuan Xie |Justin Allen |Daniel Willis

A superior court judge has asked Sonoma State University to temporarily halt a plan that would discontinue 22 majors and six academic programs as part of a maneuver to plug the university’s almost $24 million budget shortfall. Judge Kenneth English’s temporary restraining order comes in response to a request by seven Sonoma State student-athletes, who sued the university to interrupt a proposal that also eliminates all NCAA Division II sports at the university.

1 week ago | edsource.org | Karen D'Souza |Yuxuan Xie |Justin Allen |Daniel Willis

A Los Angeles Community College District trustee and labor leader announced her candidacy this week for State Superintendent of Public Instruction in what could be a crowded race in 2026 to succeed Tony Thurmond. Nichelle Henderson is a former middle school teacher at Compton Unified, who currently works at Cal State Los Angeles as a faculty adviser and clinical field supervisor with the Cal State TEACH teacher preparation program.

1 week ago | riffmagazine.com | Daniel Willis

This week, Spacey Jane welcomes us to summer; Dustin Douglas & the Electric Gentlemen, Dropsonic and Gasoline Lollipops bring the rock, Mobley gives us some throwback soul and Activity shows us the art of a really good bass line. Spacey Jane, “Through My Teeth” — A couple of us thought we’d featured Spacey Jane in Tuesday Tracks a lot more recently than we did, but the band’s last appearance was way back in 2021.

1 month ago | riffmagazine.com | Daniel Willis

Dead Channel Sky, the fifth album by hip-hop trio clipping., is really great. But first, a history lesson; please bear with me. Cyberpunk is a subgenre of science fiction that’s generally accepted to have begun with the movie “Blade Runner” in 1982 and William Gibson’s novel “Neuromancer” in 1984. The specifics vary wildly, but the genre is defined by a few general aesthetics. First, humanity is connected by a network of computers that’s required to function in society.

1 month ago | riffmagazine.com | Daniel Willis

Momma and the Ting Tings slow things down, the Gully Boys and Raue bring the rock back, Kurt Deimer brings us a new classic and Nell Smith wows with her first and final album. Momma, “Bottle Blonde” — Written about the friendship between Momma’s co-founders, co-vocalists, co-guitarists and co-songwriters Etta Friedman and Allegra Weingarten, “Bottle Blonde” is a brilliantly chill alternative track that serves as a love letter to their past and present selves.